Jason Wheeler won the PokerStars Open Main Event in Barcelona

Jason Wheeler claimed victory in the PokerStars Open 2026 Main Event in Barcelona, earning a record €731,000 and adding to his list of achievements. The article covers details of the final table and the results of EPT Barcelona.

The main event of the 2026 PokerStars Open series in Barcelona, with a €1,650 buy-in, has concluded, drawing a record number of participants and becoming a historic milestone for Jason Wheeler. Winning this tournament brought the American not only the biggest prize of his career — €731,000 — but also raised his total live tournament winnings to $6,627,471. Below are details of the final table, results from other major EPT Barcelona tournaments, and the outcomes of the opening days of the EPT 2026 Main Event. Jason Wheeler’s Road to Victory at PokerStars Open Barcelona Jason Wheeler is one of the most recognizable players on the European Poker Tour (EPT), regularly appearing at the series for 16 years. Before this win, his total live tournament earnings stood at $5.78 million, with his previous best result being second place in the EPT Prague 2017 Main Event (€570,000). In 2026, Wheeler decided to refocus on his poker career after a family-related break. According to him, after the pandemic he set a goal to return to the top level and prove he still belongs among the world’s best tournament players. The victory in Barcelona became not only a new career achievement but, emotionally, was comparable for Wheeler to winning a WSOP bracelet in 2021. He noted that now, with his children older, he has more time for playing and studying, and this success confirms he’s on the right path. The 2026 PokerStars Open Barcelona Main Event, with a €1,650 buy-in, attracted 4,333 entries (including re-entries), creating a prize pool of €6,239,520. The first-place prize was €731,000, and that now belongs to Jason Wheeler. Final Table Results of the €1,650 PokerStars Open Barcelona Place Player Prize (€) 1 Jason Wheeler 731,000 2 Alexander Ivarsson 457,000 3 Darko Svesko 326,200 4 Bodgan Petrascu 251,120 5 Mahersh Selvakumaran 193,190 6 Han Feng 148,610 7 Gregorie Jarry 114,290 8 Felipe Boianovsky 87,910 Final Table: Battle of the Best The final table of the 2026 PokerStars Open Barcelona Main Event brought together some of the brightest stars in world poker. The first to bust from the final eight was Brazilian Felipe Boianovsky, who finished eighth and took home €87,910. This result pushed his career live tournament winnings past $7.6 million. Gregorie Jarry finished in seventh place, doubling his previous best result and earning €114,290. Next out was Han Feng, who recently finished fifth in the 2026 WSOP Main Event. In Barcelona, he received €148,610 for sixth place. Mahersh Selvakumaran took fifth place, earning €193,190. Fourth place went to Bodgan Petrascu, who collected €251,120. Serbian Darko Svesko made it to the top three. For third place, he received €326,200 — the second-largest win of his career after his victory in the Merit Poker Retro Series 2023 Main Event ($567,000). The heads-up was between Jason Wheeler and Swedish regular Alexander Ivarsson, a frequent EPT participant. Both players were worthy of the title, but luck and skill favored Wheeler, who took home €731,000. Ivarsson received €457,000 for second place. After his win, Wheeler noted that it was especially meaningful to win on PokerStars, where he has played for over 20 years. According to him, winning on the biggest stage against the toughest opponents is the best proof of his professionalism. Big Wins at EPT Barcelona: Tom Fuchs and Other Champions Jason Wheeler wasn’t the only one to score a seven-figure win at EPT Barcelona 2026. German player Tom Fuchs claimed his second career prize of over a million euros, winning €1,126,540 in the €100,000 EPT Super High Roller. This tournament traditionally attracts the world’s poker elite, and winning it is one of the most prestigious achievements. Other notable winners over the weekend include Thomas Eychenne, the reigning EPT Barcelona Main Event champion, who won the PokerStars Open High Roller with a €2,700 buy-in. Below are the biggest prizes of the weekend at EPT Barcelona: Tom Fuchs — €1,126,540 (€100,000 EPT Super High Roller) Jason Wheeler — €731,000 (€1,650 PokerStars Open Barcelona Main Event) Thomas Eychenne — winner of the €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller EPT Barcelona 2026 Main Event: Opening Days and Chip Leaders While the finals of major tournaments were wrapping up, the EPT 2026 Main Event kicked off in Barcelona. Both starting days have already been played, and the number of entries has reached 1,684. Registration remains open until the start of Day 2 (August 24, 12:00 local time), so the final number of participants will increase. The chip leader after Day 1A is Irishman Michael Dwyer with 363,500 chips. Among the chip leaders and well-known players advancing to the next day are: Mark Teltscher — 324,000 Romain Lewis — 204,000 Dario Sammartino — 201,500 Mathew Frankland — 200,500 Michel Molenaar — 135,700 David Coleman — 134,500 Anton Wigg — 131,000 Sebastian Malec — 129,500 Barny Boatman — 125,500 Maria Konnikova — 109,000 Erik Seidel — 59,500 The EPT Barcelona Main Event continues to attract the attention of poker pros and enthusiasts from around the world. You can follow the tournament’s progress via live text coverage on PokerNews. Who’s Who: Final Table Participants and Chip Leaders The final table of the 2026 PokerStars Open Barcelona Main Event brought together players from different countries and poker backgrounds. Brazilian Felipe Boianovsky, known for his international success, once again demonstrated his high level of play. Serbian Darko Svesko continues to build his reputation after his Merit Poker Retro Series triumph. Swedish regular Alexander Ivarsson is a frequent EPT participant, consistently making deep runs in Europe’s biggest tournaments. Among the chip leaders in the EPT Barcelona Main Event are Michael Dwyer, as well as well-known pros like Dario Sammartino, Mark Teltscher, Romain Lewis, Barny Boatman, and Erik Seidel. The field includes both veterans and young talents, promising an exciting battle in the next stages of the tournament. For many players, making the money in such major events is not only a financial success but also an important step in their career development. Each of the final table participants and chip leaders has significant experience playing high stakes and on the biggest poker stages. Poker Formats and Terms: Brief Explanation Buy-in — the amount a player pays to enter a tournament. For example, €1,650 is the entry fee for the PokerStars Open Barcelona Main Event. Re-entry — the option to re-enter a tournament after busting out by paying another buy-in. Prize pool — the total amount formed from all buy-ins and distributed among the prize places. Final table — the last 8-9 players in a tournament who compete for the top prizes. Heads-up — the final stage of a tournament when only two players remain to determine the champion. Chip leader — the player with the most chips at a certain stage of the tournament. Super High Roller — a tournament with a very high buy-in (for example, €100,000), usually featuring top pros and wealthy amateurs. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Successes at major live series like EPT Barcelona clearly demonstrate the importance of regular practice and continuous improvement of poker skills. PPPoker club players can use this experience for their own growth: participating in club tournaments and training sessions is an excellent foundation for developing strategic thinking and adapting to different opponents’ styles. The stories of Jason Wheeler and other finalists show that even after a career break, it’s possible to return to the top level if you focus on learning and analyzing your game. PPPoker clubs offer a variety of tournament and cash game formats, allowing players to gain the experience needed for success at international series. In addition, following the results and analysis of major events like EPT Barcelona is useful for studying modern poker trends: changes in strategy, new approaches to final table play, bankroll management. All of this can be applied in PPPoker club games to raise your level and prepare for more prestigious tournaments.